Talking to young children about feelings

By Cathy Cassani Adams

Contributor and Blogger

You know it's important to talk about feelings with your young
children, but you need some help getting started. Here are a
few simple ideas to get the ball rolling…

Books:

Incredible You/Unstoppable Me- Wayne Dyer

Through typical childhood scenarios, these books offer a way to
view people and experiences in a more positive light, to see that
you have a choice in every situation. It's not about the
feeling, it's what you choose to do with the feeling.

My Many Colored Days - Dr. Seuss

In this book feelings are matched to colors, and moving in and
out and different emotions is normalized. The rhymes are
light and fun, and it offers a perfect opportunity to ask questions
like, "What makes you feel red?"

Today I Feel Silly and Other Moods that Make My
Day - Jamie Lee Curtis

In this book you follow a little girl through 13 different moods
and realize how normal it is to bounce from feeling to feeling
throughout a day.

Games:

Wild Ride to the Heart

This game was sent to me to review, and I am happy to report
that my kids loved it! It's simple, not too long, and you get
to act out feelings and tell emotional stories. Click
here to view the game.

Feelings Magnets

Magnet boards make
it easy to identify feelings by placing a cut-out box over a
"feeling face". Easy way to let everyone know your mood!

Movies:

It doesn't matter which movie you choose, just be sure to have a
discussion about how the characters feel. Watching movies
together is a perfect way to discuss feelings without getting too
personal.

For example:

"How do you think he felt when that happened?"

"How do you think she was feeling when she said that?"

"How would you feel if that happened to you?"

Any ideas from your house? Feel free to
comment!

Cathy Adams is a certified parenting coach, yoga instructor and mother to three girls.